The Dolphins are open to trading receiver Mike Wallace and are gauging interest in him around the league, CBSSports.com reported today.

That's false, the same Dolphins source just told me.

The Dolphins are open to trading Cameron Wake, CBSSports.com reported today.

That's false, the same Dolphins source just told me.

So what we have here is an issue of credibility and integrity. Do you believe CBSSports.com? Or do you believe the Miami Dolphins?

I know my source.

I'm going with the Dolphins. I do not believe the Dolphins are actively trying to trade any of these players because, well, that is what my source is saying.

Look, teams make calls around the league every day. The Dolphins are both making calls on players and fielding calls routinely. But they are not trying to get rid of these players.

As to news that is actually true, the Dolphins hosted free agent safety Louis Delmas on Friday. Delmas, who attended high school in Miami, is available because he was cut by the Detroit Lions on Feb. 13.

He is a smart player. He is a two-time Pro Bowl alternate. He has battled injury issues.

The Dolphins are looking at cheap safety help because Chris Clemons is an unrestricted free agent and will test the market.

The Dolphins are committed to Mike Pouncey. Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey told WMEN's Orlando Alzugaray Thursday that he has spoken with Pouncey in the past month and "is excited about the future."

And according to a club source, both Hickey and Dolphins executive vice president of football administration Dawn Aponte met with Pouncey's agent Joel Segal while at the Indianapolis Combine last week and shared a similar sentiment from the club.

That doesn't mean all is settled.

Right now, Pouncey is scheduled to hit the final year (2014) of his fully guaranteed $9.259 million rookie deal. That deal will pay Pouncey $1.63 million in 2014. But the Dolphins are able to pick up an option year on Pouncey in May that would tie him to the team for a fifth year through 2015.

The Dolphins fully intend to pick up that option, according to a club source.

But here's the thing: Pouncey, perhaps the second-best player on the Dolphins offense and the only player left from the offensive line of the past two seasons, doesn't necessarily want to play under his rookie deal for a fifth year.

Pouncey will want an extension.

So what will happen at that point?

Two options: The Dolphins, not needing more holes on the offensive line, will have to entertain the extension idea (very likely). Or the Dolphins might consider trading Pouncey then (not very likely, but it's an option that cannot be dismissed).

All that isn't an issue now but the matter will have to be addressed before the 2014 regular-season begins.

The key short-term issue is waiting on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to see if he hands down any disciplinary action against Pouncey -- not to mention Jerry and Incognito -- to determine if the only remaining starting offensive lineman on the Dolphins roster will have to serve a suspension.

On that issue, Pouncey has heard unofficially from the NFL Players Association that he is not likely to get suspended, according to a source. But, of course, the NFLPA doesn't determine whether there is or isn't a suspension from the league.

So that remains the most important question on the table. Until it isn't.

You know that the Indianapolis Combine gives teams a chance to meet with college prospects and in those meetings the strangest questions get asked. My particular favorite this year is one player was asked which team he picks to play as in Madden and why.

One player who was asked about the Dolphins locker room situation was Florida Gators defensive back Jaylen Watkins, according to OnlyGators.com.

"They also ask personal questions about your family, how you would conduct yourself in the locker room," Watkins told the website. "A lot of teams asked about how I would handle a situation like what happened with the Miami Dolphins. They're trying to get a feel of how you could react to certain situations being in a locker room with other players who might have different perspectives, be more aggressive or more passive."

Players this year were prepared for questions about Michael Sam, the first NFL prospect to announce he is homosexual. Watkins was ready for the questions about possibly having a gay teammate. But no one went there, according to him.

"I was prepared for them to ask questions about Michael Sam or handling a situation like that in a locker room, but no one brought it up or asked about it," he said.

I can understand the questions about the Dolphins situation. But here's my opinion:

The Dolphins locker room dynamics between Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin was an outlier. In that one situation you had an extremely volatile player who has a history of drug and alcohol use and an inability to control himself -- against anger and other undisciplined behavor -- on the one hand. And on the other hand you had an extremely sensitive, weak and (now we come to find out) depressed individual with little self-esteem.

And those two were brought together, indeed, pushed together because they played on the same side of the offensive line and needed to work together and be together. And as time passed, each player's greater instincts got stronger.

Incognito became more aggressive and over-bearing. Martin became more isolated and unable to impose his will on the situation.

And what looked outwardly like a friendship of some sort was actually a freakship that no one really understood -- perhaps not even the two guys involved in the relationship.

Before the Wells report was released players in the Dolphins locker room almost universally defended what was going on within the confines of meeting rooms and closed practices and off-limit lunch rooms and other areas.

Since the Wells report peeled back the curtain on what happened in those areas -- specifically that people were being bullied and verbally abused, according to the report -- players such as John Denney and Ryan Tannehill have continued to defend the Dolphins locker room.

Add offensive tackle Tyson Clabo to that group. Clabo, a thoughtful veteran who joined the Dolphins in 2013, read the report and said today on SiriusXM NFL radio he doesn't believe the Wells report is accurate.

"I don't think the people that were around those situations, that were in that report, feel that was an accurate portrayal of the spirit of those events," Clabo said. "Those things in that report probably happened, I mean there were some that I wasn't there for, so I can't say for sure. But I don't see that there was, you know, harassment for the sake of harassment.

"No one is trying to hurt anyone's feelings. It's just, I don't know, it's a locker room. It's a situation that people in the every day won't understand. So when they read that report it's difficult for them to comprehend what goes on every day."

Clabo defended people the report made to look poorly. He defended offensive line coach Jim Turner, who the report said sometimes saw his players chide Jonathan Martin. The report also states Turner sometimes laughed and joined in.

Clabo defended trainer Kevin O'Neill, who the report states was aware of abuse of an assistant trainer and did not report it.

Both Turner and O'Neill were fired by Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

"I feel bad for coach Turner, for Kevin O'Neill, those are the guys I really feel bad for because Jim Turner is one of the best football coaches I've had the pleasure of being around and for him to lose his job over that whole thing is unfortunate for him and his family," Clabo said.

Interestingly, Clabo doesn't feel quite so bad about Martin (neither do most Dolphins players, which is the reason he's never playing for the Dolphins again) but wishes his fellow tackle would have handled his troubles differently.

"I've been in a lot of situations, I've been in the league a long time, and when I was here and what I saw ... I saw two guys who were buddies," Clabo said of the Martin-Richie Incognito relationship. "And really the thing that I wished had happened is I wished [Martin] had come to us and said, 'Hey I'm having a problem.' Then we could have worked it out. But that wasn't the path he took and this is what happened and there's nothing you can do about it. You just have to move forward. And that's what I'm going to do. And I hope that's what people who were affected by this are going to do. And at the end of the day, you have to be wiser and learn from this."

Clabo is scheduled to be a free agent on March 11. I'm told he would like to return to Miami but obviously will go elsewhere if the Dolphins move in a different direction -- which it looks like they want to do. Clabo, who will be 33 years in October old but expects to play in 2014, says it's too bad if the Dolphins decide to make decisions on getting rid of some people based on the harassment scandal.

"If it's time for me to go somewhere else, then that's what I'll do," he said. "Whenever you have a situation like this it's kind of unprecendented and everybody feels they have to throw the baby out with the bath water. And that's fine. Coach Philbin is a good man, a good football coach. He'll get it figured out."

February 26, 2014

Left tackles are going to be a big deal in the next couple of weeks as teams either lock up the good ones they have before the start of free agency March 11 or chase the best ones on the market for what is sure to be a lucrative amount of money.

Today the left tackle picture came into clearer focus when the Eagles signed Jason Peters to a four-year extension worth $41.3 million with $19.5 million of that guaranteed, according to ESPN.

Getting the ol' trusty calculator and ... that averages out to $10.35 million per year.

And there you have the starting point the coming free agent tackles will shoot for and try to surpass. The reason that is the aiming point is they will argue Peters signed an extension with a year left on his contract. They will say he took less money for the security of staying with his current team.

They will say that players are worth more once they hit the open market.

Obviously, teams may counter that some of the tackles in free agency aren't nearly as good as Peters. And the agents will counter that most of the free agent tackles are younger than the 32-year-old Peters.

The point is the back and forth will still center around the $10 million a year and $20 million guaranteed mark.

That's what Branden Albert, Eugene Monroe, Jared Veldheer, Anthony Collins and others will be aiming for at the beginning.

That, by the way, assumes any of them reach free agency. Why is that a question?

In recent days there have been numerous reports about the salary cap rising. First the report it was going to $130 million. Then a report it was going to $132 million. Lately some media outlets are suggesting the cap number will be higher than $132 million.

And with each reported rise, if true, the chances teams keep their outstanding left tackles increase. Suddenly the cap-strapped Baltimore Ravens may have more of a chance of keeping both Monroe and tight end Dennis Pitta.

Suddenly, the Chiefs may be able to rethink the idea of keeping Albert.

February 25, 2014

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has made no secret of the fact he'd like to meet with Jonathan Martin.

That meeting will happen "soon," Ross said today on a conference call with reporters. Interestingly, lawyers are the ones setting up the meeting, Ross divulged.

And if you're asking why?

Why would Ross, who has already said Martin isn't returning to the Dolphins, want to meet with Martin after the offensive lineman responded to harassment by teammates by withholding information from coaches and quitting during the 2013 season?

"I haven't heard what his feelings are," Ross said. "I think I've read the report. I think he wants to talk to me as much as I'm prepared to listen. When you've dealt with something, it's nice to understand it a little bit more by hearing from the person directly."

And having said that, Ross says the meeting with Martin will not drive the Dolphins decision making on the player at all.

"That'll have no impact really on what we're doing going forward," he said.

Folks, Jon Martin has played his final game for the Dolphins. It was true before the season ended. It is true now. You'll read and hear numerous things on the subject. And, yes, perhaps the Dolphins will leak that they want to keep Martin. That is simply a smokescreen to create trade value that does not otherwise exist.

The New York University Sports and Society program, headed by University professor Arthur R. Miller, issued a white paper today examining the bullying and other behavior in sports, and proposing a comprehensive range of initiatives focused on youth athletics to combat those behaviors, the Dolphins announced today.

While these issues have been central to the Sports and Society program, work on this latest project began after Dolphins owner and NYU Law alumnus Stephen M. Ross approached NYU Law Dean Trevor Morrison in December 2013 to discuss ways to increase civility and respect in sports, and thus, in society at large.

Ross was obviously motivated by the so-called harassment scandal that happened in his team's locker room the last couple of years.

Working with Morrison, Miller, one of the nation’s most distinguished law professors and founder of the Sports and Society program at the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS), assembled a team of NYU Law faculty, alumni, and students, as well as faculty affiliated with NYU-SCPS, to work on a range of linked projects examining the issue.

“We must work together towards a culture of civility and mutual respect for one another,” Ross said. “Something needs to be done so that every man and woman, young and old, can participate in sports on all levels and find a positive and meaningful experience. We will use this opportunity to make a positive change.”

The white paper, authored by Miller and other faculty who are members of the Sports and Society program at NYU-SCPS, states: “Bullying in sports is only one aspect of a larger phenomenon of harmful behavior in many spheres of society: schools, workplaces, social, and community settings. Although many government, educational, and other social institutions have done some work to curb bullying behavior in their ranks, these efforts often are not coordinated or comprehensive enough to change the existing culture."

The paper then proposes a youth education initiative to combat racism and other forms of alleged intolerance in sports, and to promote a culture of respect. Among the measures proposed are:

* The development of a curriculum to educate young athletes, coaches, and parents on respectful conduct.

* A uniform code of respectful conduct for adoption at all levels of youth athletics.

* A pledge in which sports participants on all levels commit, on a recurring basis, to treat others with respect, identify bullying, and speak out against it.

And now a break from the so-called news ... Let me just say that Americans have been playing organized sports for more than a century. And like society, the sports landscape is not perfect. It houses great men and women. It is also home to bullies, punks, thugs and druggies.

But you know what?

Sports has done a better job than society of weeding those losers out of its ranks. Sports, more specifically team sports, is a great uniter. It breaks down social barriers and has for decades.

A white paper is nice. But a white paper is a classroom project.

The lockerroom is the thing. That's real life. And I reject that what happened within the Dolphins locker room the last couple of years was the norm across sports.

Yes, there are pranks. Yes, people step over lines all across sports.

But I believe in most instances men of good faith and morals and minds eventually find a way to get the room back on course. They can do it because they are part of the room and have the respect of those in the room.

It has never happened because someone who never stepped in the room wrote a paper about it.

One more thing: Many of the things this white paper proposes? Those need to be taught at home by a mother and father. And yes, I recognize that not everyone is in a situation where mom and dad teach right and wrong, good and bad, respect and morals.

I don't have an answer for how to overcome that handicap. But I know a white paper isn't going to do it. It will never substitute for family.

February 24, 2014

The Branden Albert to Miami rumors have begun anew and, no, they are not a suprise but boy are they interesting. NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday evening the Dolphins are expected to make a strong run at landing Albert if he hits the unrestricted free agency market.

Even then, the Dolphins may have competition, according to RapSheet, who also reports the Cardinals will be involved in the bidding for the 29-year-old left tackle.

And why is this interesting to me?

Two reasons:

1. Brandon Albert is not the best left tackle who might get to free agency. Eugene Monroe, 26, is better and younger. More expensive? Yes. But did I mention better and younger?

This means the Dolphins might be paying a mint for a player who is not the elite or top of his class at his position. Whatever Monroe gets, the Dolphins had better pay less for Albert if that's the direction they're going to go.

Of course, the Albert camp wants to make him the highest paid left tackle in football. So does every free agent come to the Dolphins wanting to be the highest paid at his position?

2. I'd say 80 percent of the reports coming from the national media now are agent fed and inspired. They might hold water. But some really do not. All are agenda driven. What's the agenda here? Create a sense of competition for a player. Create buzz for a player. What better way to do that than offer up two tackle-needy teams that might want to bid on a player? And, oh by the way, what better way to get lukewarm Kansas City to move a bit toward re-signing its own player?

It's agent 101.

It's obvious the Dolphins are ready to avoid the mistake of 2013 by not overlooking Ryan Tannehill's blind side. They are obviously prepared to make a significant investment in the left tackle position.

The question is, why Albert and not Monroe?

Why the older inferior player ahead of the younger superior player?

The Dolphins flirted with Branden Albert last year. They talked to the Chiefs at length about such a trade. They also discussed contract parameters at length with Albert's agents.

In the end, however, the Chiefs would not allow the Dolphins to give Albert a medical exam. The Dolphins, unwilling to negotiated a trade and a contract without certainty about Albert's back, backed away from the talks around draft time.

No, the Dolphins have not yet made a contract offer to retain pending free agent defensive tackle Paul Soliai, as The Herald first reported this morning. Neither have any other teams, according to league sources.

But here's the deal:

Five teams have shown interest in Soliai in recent days. And at least two of those teams are quite serious about adding Soliai once free agency begins March 11, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Those teams made their interest known during the Indianapolis Combine.

(Peanut gallery: But Mando, that's tampering.)

Oh, gallery how naive you are. While it is technically tampering, it would never be investigated because every team is spending time at the Combine talking to agents and asking those agents about their clients' mindset and general parameters to gauge the cost of signing those clients. And everyone is doing that.

And Soliai, a run-stuffing defensive tackle who has played both in the 3-4 and 4-3, is drawing as much interest as anyone.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, are taking a lukewarm approach to retaining Soliai -- and, frankly, many of their pending free agents. The Dolphins do not appear moved by the idea of their free agents hitting the market.

That includes Soliai, Randy Starks, Brent Grimes, Nolan Carroll, John Jerry and others. Indeed, some of those players will almost definitely not be returning to the Dolphins.

Although no contracts can be negotiated now, teams will be able to begin talking to free agents before free agency begins. The negotiation window opens March 8. Although no contract can be signed before March 11, several players will have deals in place before then because of the open negotiation window.

When free agency begins for the Dolphins and all other NFL clubs March 11 (negotiations can begin March 8) one of the priorities, indeed the top priority, the Dolphins may have is the cornerback position.

We know this because although the Indianapolis Combine is supposed to be about preparing for the draft in that draft-eligible players are inspected in almost every way imaginable, the last five days was also about meeting with the representatives for free agents. It was about meeting with agents for some of Miami's pending free agents as well as those representing potential free agents about to hit the market.

And the position the Dolphins asked these agents most about during Indianapolis was, you guessed it, the cornerback spot, according to multiple league sources.

This makes sense.

The Dolphins have needs at offensive line, safety, defensive tackle and probably running back. But cornerback is perhaps the second-most obvious need after OL because Brent Grimes and Nolan Carroll -- the starters most of 2013 -- are both pending unrestricted free agents.

Moreoever, the Dolphins might be deciding that keeping Dimitri Patterson and his $5.4 million cap hit that comes with his inconsistent durability is a luxury they cannot afford.

Obviously, the team is interested in bringing back Grimes at what new general manager Dennis Hickey has been calling a Dolphins value. That means the Dolphins decide what a player is worth to them and they would be willing to pay. (Unfortunately, in some cases, that Dolphins value and the player's value of himself are not equal.)

Signing Grimes, who will be 31 in before the season, to a four or five-year contract is a tricky proposition. It simply isn't done in the NFL with a cornerback that age.

The Dolphins might also consider a franchise tag on Grimes, although that doesn't make a ton of sense. The franchise tag on a CB is expected to be approximately $11 million, all of it in a lump sum salary-cap space swallowing chunk. The Dolphins should be able to add two cornerbacks for that kind of cap hit.

The Dolphins have until March 3 to designate a franchise player.

So cornerback will be a position of heavey activity for Miami the next two weeks.

Why not offensive line or one of the other positions, you ask?

Well, the Dolphins will probably do work there, too. But the coming draft is replete with good offensive linemen. So the Dolphins can add good, young, cheap talent at offensive line during the draft. Miami may come away with two or three offensive linemen in the draft and add an offensive lineman in free agency as well.

The Dolphins can adress safety in the secondary free agency market or the draft but after signing Reshad Jones to a big contract extension last year, they are not likely to allocate more money big money on the back end. The team also knows it can bring back either Paul Soliai or Randy Starks and there are some options at the defensive tackle position that might come available as well.

Running back, meanwhile, it is not a priority free agency spot. Paying big money for a free agent running back is not often wise.

So the Dolphins are looking around with cornerback being a focus.

And there might be some significant cornerback talent in free agency. If one considers only last season's performance, the best cornerback on the market might be Aqib Talib of the New England Patriots. And it would make sense for the Dolphins to be interested in him as Hickey was in Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers drafted him in 2008.

But, of course, all is not simply about last year's performance. The Dolphins have to consider other factors before ever thinking of Talib. Firstly, Talib's depature from Tampa Bay was forced in part because the red flags many teams had on him before the draft (he was actually off the Miami draft board in 2008) manifested themselves soon after he was drafted.

He got into a fistfight with a teammate at the 2008 rookie symposium. In 2009, he allegedly battered a taxi driver. In 2011, he was arrested in Texas for battery with a deadly weapon when he allegedly went after his sister's boyfriend. Those charges were dropped in 2012 but only in time for Talib to be suspended by the NFL for violating the NFL drug policy for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.

The Patriots got Talib in trade in November of 2012 for a fourth-round pick.

And he's been great for them. He locked down the other team's best pass-catcher, regardless of size or speed. He went one-on-one with Jimmy Graham when the Patriots beat the Saints in 2013.

But Talib has also shown the penchant for getting hurt. He missed time last year with a hip injury. He had a hip injury in 2010. He finished the 2011 season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

The point is Talib is great ... when he's not suspended, or in trouble or injured.

Oh, and he wants to return to New England. So there's that.

But the Patriots, with only approximately $7 million in projected 2014 cap space, might not have the way to get Talib signed. They want to but ... well, you get the idea.

So that name is out there.

Other names that resonate as possibilities for the Dolphins?

Green Bay's Sam Shields is a player coach Joe Philbin should be familiar with. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a fine cornerback and may be difficult for the cap challenged Broncos to re-sign. Walter Thurmond is a solid No. 3 if the Dolphins aren't able to re-sign Nolan Carroll.

And perhaps the best player of the class -- all things considered -- might be Alterraun Verner. He's very young at 25. He's a fine player. He makes plays. And because the Titans already paid a mint for their other cornerback, Jason McCourty, they might not be able to pay Verner, too.

Verner doesn't have the off-the-field issues of Talib, the age issue of Grimes, and he's more consistent than DR-C.

February 21, 2014

The Dolphins were expecting to have a large bank roll to sign any of their 21 unsigned players (15 unrestricted free agents) players before Thursday dawned. And then several media outlets, led by ESPN, reported the projected salary cap for 2014 is going to be larger than expected.

The figure now commonly believed to be available to clubs when the league year opens March 11?

A tidy $129-$130 million.

And that means barring re-signing some of their own free agents before then, the Dolphins will have approximately $36 million in cap space. That includes over $18 million in carryover from 2013. And that figure ranks the Dolphins in the top 5 among teams with the most cap space.

The Dolphins will lead the AFC East in cap space but Buffalo (approximately $22 million) and the New York Jets (approximately $23.7 million) will also have plenty of cap space. The Jets could actually add another $16 million in space if they cut quarterback Mark Sanchez and receiver Santonio Holmes.

But the Dolphins can create space of their own with roster moves and might do just that.

The Dolphins can gain an extra $5.4 million of cap space by cutting cornerback Dimitri Patterson.

Why, you may ask, would the Dolphins dump a solid cornerback when healthy? Well, because durability is a big deal in the NFL. It is a critical factor in judging players. You can't contribute if you can't play.

And of the 18 possible games Patterson could have played with the Dolphins since being acquired in late December 2012, he has started and finished only four of those games.

So new GM Dennis Hickey and Co. will have a decision to make on Patterson.

All this seems like good news for the Dolphins. Because they don't have a big mortgage on the quarterback spot (like New England, New Orleans, Baltimore and other teams with QBs with big contracts) the Dolphins have tons of maneuverability.

Obviously, they probably should not employ all that maneuverability because if things go as hoped by the organization, Ryan Tannehill will eventually want to join that club of high-priced QBs and, poof, there goes the cap space. So saving up for that possibility might be wise given that teams can carry over space.

But with the new TV contract on the horizon and the bump expected this year from a Thursday night TV deal, Miami suddenly has more room than expected.

And that leads us to this ...

Suddenly the franchise tag for cornerback Brent Grimes is more palatable if the team cannot get him signed to a smart two- or three-year deal that pays him but also insulates the team from him dropping off the performance table based on the fact he's going to be 31 years old at the start of the 2014 season. Most clubs don't want to commit to cornerbacks through their 34th or 35th birthdays.

(It should be noted there may be younger cornerbacks on the market, too.)

Suddenly, re-signing Nolan Carroll, who is a solid third cornerback and good spot starter, to a deal is not out of the question.

Suddenly the radical idea of keeping both Paul Soliai and Randy Starks isn't complete folly. No, it probably won't happen. Both players are shopping their services at the Combine through their representation. Both will have offers whenever free agency begins.

And suddenly the idea of adding an offensive tackle through free agency isn't out of the question. If I were the general manager, I'd weigh chasing an elite and young left tackle -- perhaps Eugene Monroe -- and then handle the rest of my offensive line business in the draft. I would not chase free agent guards until the secondary market because the guard free agent class is ... is ... not stocked. Richie Incognito is among the better ones available so there's that.

Also, please remember, this is a great year for tackles in the draft. There will be starters taken in the third round, that's how good it could be. So no more than one tackle in free agency, please. No high-priced guard in free agency, please.

And if you're going to chase a tackle, chase the combination of the best and youngest -- Monroe, who will be 27 in April.

(Peanut Gallery: But Mando, what about Branden Albert? He was good last year. He's really good. Plus, we've heard of him because of last year's flirtation with trading for him.)

He's 29 years old now and will be 30 in November. He had a fine year but how much of that was contract year excellence? And you remember the issues with the back and so forth, right? So he would not be my top choice. He wouldn't even be my second choice. I think I'd like Anthony Collins of Cincinnati more than Albert.

By the way, it's not possible to know if these players will even be available. Their own clubs can still re-sign them.

I should note here that the Chiefs have the least amount of cap space to re-sign their left tackle of the others we've discussed -- Baltimore and Cincinnati. So maybe Albert will be the only tackle on the market because KC drafted a tackle No. 1 last year.

I suppose there's a chance the Dolphins might throw everyone a curveball and opt to draft their left tackle and sign a free agent right tackle instead. The name you'll hear continually is Michael Oher.

Buyer beware. He hasn't lived up to his "Blindside" reputation the past two years. So one must not overpay based simply on name recognition.

February 20, 2014

So what is the national reaction from the Joe Philbin press conference?

Adam Beasley of The Herald is at the Indianapolis Combine and he tells me that national media were underwhelmed by Philbin but not overtly critical.

Well, ESPN's analysts on NFL Live were quite critical.

Former Super Bowl winners Mark Schlereth, Tedy Bruschi and Damien Woody just roasted the Dolphins coach on national cable television. It was, shall we say, four minutes of turning Philbin over an open fire.

Among other things, Schlereth said Philbin is, "incompetent."

Bruschi referred to "the amazing lack of awareness," with Philbin and the organization.

Bruschi also pointed at that Philbin failed as "rookie head coach. I think the job was too big for him at first. And now he has to refix some of the mess he created."

Woody said players on the leadershp council should be appointed by the head coach. Philbin had the leadership council appointed by a vote of the players.

(Salguero interjects here: I believe Philbin meant well to let the players vote on members of the leadership council. But as Nick Saban would do, the coach has ultimate veto power. Always.)

Dennis Hickey is at his 19th NFL Indianapolis Combine but obviously attending as a general manager for the first time.

"It's an exciting time," he said today. "You get 350 of the best prospects in the same setting. It lets you evaluate them from an athletic standpoint. You get verified measurables on them. You get to know the player themselves and get medical information.

"It's an exciting time for the Miami Dolphins."

So the second question was asked was about the status of Mike Pouncey and the rest of a very uncertain offensive line.

"Every day that I wake up, I think about how can I get the Miami Dolphins to the best 53-man roster," Hickey said. "Obviously, that encompasses all positions. I believe that it all starts up front on both sides of the ball ... What's the best plan? We're putting together the best strategic plan and we're going forward with that."

Hickey declined to answer a question about a possible suspension for Pouncey or John Jerry, both mentioned prominently in the Wells report.

"We're working in concert with the commissioner's office and so that's where that stands," Hickey said.

Here's something that suggests: The Dolphins will wait on NFL sanctions for the players before taking any action of their own.

Hickey made the point he is not going to discuss "current plans, future plans" about players. He repeated that point about four times. That's understandable and typical of NFL teams. It doesn't need constant repeating, however.

Hickey would not be specific about the offense the Dolphins will run.

"We're going to do a lot of different things under (new OC) Bill Lazor," he said. "We're excited to have him on board. They're still working through all that and we'll go from there."

The subject of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been prominent this offseason since CBSSports.com reported Joe Philbin might at some point bench the QB in favor of backup Matt Moore.

Hickey said he's watched Tannehill since college and has seen improvement since that time.

"We expect that to continue that development into his third year," Hickey said.

The Dolphins have a lot of needs. The offensive line side to side. Defensive tackle. Safety. Cornerback. And running back.

But Hickey said, "We like the running backs on our team."

He added, however, that he wants to find the best 53 playes and wants to push competition, including at running back.

Hickey said he wants Dion Jordan to "continue to progress." He declined to be more specific (one of his four times).

Free agency will start in March. Hickey thinks the Dolphins are a great destination for those players.

"I think free agents will be attracted to who we are," he said. "We have an excellent coaching staff. We live in Miami, that's pretty strong. We have a great owner who will allocate the resources necessary. And we have an environment, a collective strong environment. In my three weeks, it's been nothing but positive with all the people. As you get in the building and get to know the people, you get a sense of what the organization is about. I felt strongly about that and at every step that has been confirmed to us."

You've read my coverage. You've seen the transcript. Here is the video of Joe Philbin's presser today at the Indianapolis Combine.

Again, I give Philbin credit for addressing the media. If he had not -- as was originally the organization's plan -- he would have been the only AFC East coach not to speak to the media at the Combine. (Yeah, Bill Belichick had a change of heart today and also is having a press conference.)

I credit Philbin for stepping up so that GM Dennis Hickey would not have to bear the burden of answering Wells report questions as the first Dolphins official to speak to the media. I credit him also for taking some accountability.

His one issue during this presser?

Philbin talked a lot about accountability. He said he's accountable. But he took no accountability for letting Richie Incognito be voted team captain and team leader in 2013 after he knew Incognito had assualted a female golf course worker at a team sponsored event in 2012.

Philbin said it was the players who elected Incognito a leader. He said he allowed it to happen out of respect for the democratic process.

Doesn't fly, especially since this is what Philbin said about Incognito's leadership in August 2013:

"He’s been leading by example, again I think the best form of leadership for us in this program is example," Philbin said then. "Part of that is in the classroom, part of it’s in the weight room, part of it’s on the practice field, and then transferring it to the game field. He’s done a very good job."

Hmmm. Sorry, coach. Can't have it both ways.

Anyway, as I've mentioned, one of the great things today's Philbin presser did was open the horizon for Hickey to address things not Wells report. In other words, Hickey will get football questions in about an hour. Check back for that post!

Joe Philbin addressed the local and national media today. You already got a taste of what he said in shouting an opening statement and answering questions in a more calm manner.

Well, here's everything he said. In total.

(Opening statement) – “I remember the first day I interviewed for the Miami Dolphins head coaching job with Steve Ross, and we talked a lot about the type of program I wanted to run in Miami. One of the things I told Steve was it’s important to me that any player we have or any staff member we have, I wanted to create an atmosphere where their experience as a Miami Dolphin, whether it was for three weeks, three months, three years, 10 years, was the best professional experience they ever had. And if they left Miami and went to another organization or left and went to work for General Electric, Goldman Sachs or whatever great company in America, they would look back on their time as a Miami Dolphin and say, ‘That organization was committed to helping me reach my full potential. They committed the resources, the time and invested in the individuals to make us a great football team,’ so they can look back and say they had a tremendous experience. Any time that isn’t accomplished, anytime one of our players and staff members has an experience contrary to that, it requires my attention, it needs to be corrected, it needs to be looked at (and) it needs to be fixed. I want everyone to know, I’m the one responsible for the workplace environment at the Miami Dolphins facility. I’m the one who sets the schedule. I’m the one who decides when the practices are. I decide what time the players eat, how they meet, how they lift, everything that they do in the facility. When they leave the facility, we have kind of a message board, TV board, and it says on it 24/7/365 every day. I walk out there every day, they walk out there every day, as a reminder that we all represent one another. Everything that I do impacts everybody I work with at the Miami Dolphins on a daily basis, and everything that they do impacts me. So I think you could imagine when I read the report that you have, and I got the report the same minute you got it, some of the facts, the behavior, the language that was outlined in the report is inappropriate and is unacceptable, and I’m the one as I mentioned earlier that is in charge of the workplace. I can tell you, I can tell our fans, I can tell you sitting here, I can tell our players, we are going to do things about it. We are going to make it better. We are going to look at every avenue. We are going to uncover every stone, and we are going to have a better workplace. I promise you that. I’m going to make sure that happens. So I’ll take any questions you have."

(On what in the Wells Report that he didn’t know about before it was released) - “There were some little details that I didn’t know about. As you could imagine I met with the investigators, I believe it was November 18th. It was in the midst of the season. We were still coaching. We were still playing games, so there wasn’t time for me necessarily to do a lot of personal investigating into some of these claims. A majority of these things I knew about."

(On what he can personally do to make sure that his message of promoting integrity and accountability throughout the organization gets through) - “Like I said, I have to do a better job. I’m going to look at every way, the way we educate, the way we communicate, the way we talk to one another. I’m going to look at every avenue. We have a lot of dedicated, committed people in our organization, in our building, that make a lot of sacrifices every single day when they go to work. I have to make sure that we create a better atmosphere and a better environment."

(On if part of his job is to know what is going on in the locker room) - “Look, I’m the head football coach. The team, the performance of the team, the record, the 8-8 record, that falls on my shoulders. I’m going to be more vigilant, I’m going to be more diligent, I’m going to be more visible and I’m going to have a better pulse."

(On why he didn’t follow up with Jonathan Martin after he briefly left the team in the offseason) - “Well when I was made aware of his condition, I immediately connected him with medical treatment. I had subsequent discussions, nothing at great length. Out of respect for Jonathan (Martin) I’m not going to get into the details of those discussions. I think that he should be the one that speaks about his health status."

(On if he feels he should have followed up with Jonathan Martin more after he left the team) - “Again, I connected him with medical care immediately when I knew that he needed some. Again, I’m not going to comment any further about those discussions about his health."

(On if he has been in contact with the league regarding possible penalties against players, and if he sees any scenario where one of the players implicated in the report doesn’t return to the team) - “We are in concert with the NFL and the commissioner’s office in regard to potential discipline of any player. We are communicating with them on that. We haven’t made any decisions on anybody’s future in terms of the 2014 Miami Dolphins."

(On if Kevin O’Neill made the trip to Indianapolis before he was relieved of his duties) - “As I mentioned to you before, I was interviewed I believe on November 18th by Ted Wells and the investigative team. We received the report exactly the same day, same time that you did. That was a time-span of 89 days, I believe. As an organization, when you are talking about the careers and future of people who are dedicated professionals, we felt we needed to deliberate. We needed to discuss. We didn’t feel that five days was an exurbanite amount of time when you consider the implications of those decisions. That being said, Kevin O’Neill is a dedicated person, professional. He gave 18 years of service. I don’t know if there is ever really a good time to relieve someone of their duties. Would it have been better maybe if he was not here (in Indianapolis)? When we made a decision as an organization, we felt it was fair to communicate that decision as soon as possible, and that’s what we did."

(On what he told everyone in the organization before they met with the investigators) - “To tell the truth, tell the truth. It’s always good advice."

(On if this has been an embarrassing six months for the franchise) - “It’s been tough on a lot of people. It’s been tough on our ownership, it’s been tough on our fan-base (and) it’s been tough on everyone in the locker room. It’s touched a lot of people in the country. It’s been difficult, but I know I speak for our owner, Steve Ross, we are resolute in our dedication to getting this right and correcting any problems that existed. We are going to do it."

(On if Jonathan Martin would be able to return this season) – “Well our owner Steve Ross has reached out to Jonathan, I believe at some point in the near future they plan on getting together, so for me to make any comments prior to that meeting I think would be inappropriate."

(On if he thinks the players could handle having him back in the locker room) – “Again, until that meeting occurs, I’m not going to make any comments."

(On if he wanted to release Richie Incognito after the golf incident) – “Well, when I was made aware of that situation that you’re referencing I took immediate action in the form of player discipline. Obviously there are many options that we discussed as an organization what the best course would be and that’s what we came up with. I’m not going to pass the buck to anybody else, I was a part of it, that was the decision that we made."

(On if he regrets not cutting ties with Richie Incognito at that point) – “Again, that was the decision that we made at that point in time so I stand by it and that’s what we did."

(On how Richie was made a leader on the football team after the incident at the golf course) – “I didn’t necessary name him a leader. There’s a leadership council that we have in place, the process is that the players elect the players that they want to be on the leadership council. Out of respect to the process that’s how the votes came in and he was on the leadership council."

(On if he knew about the issues while they were happening) – “I did not know about it when it was going on, no. The majority of things I did not know about when it was going on, no."

(On how he became aware of the issues before his interview) – “Things became quite public around November 1st, so some things seeped in and leaked in and then I heard the same voice message that you’ve probably heard and the country has probably heard. Those are things that as I started, those are things I heard. I believe that phone call was maybe in March, or certainly I had never heard that text message, so as different things occurred over the period of time I became more aware of the situation."

(On knowing what he knows now, how would he have handled the situation) – “I don’t have the benefit to look back. Certainly I would have hoped that I would have noticed some of these things, I can tell you that I had never turned my back. If I had heard this type of language or these type of acts being done I would have intervened immediately. There’s a common decency that people need to have toward one another and when that gets violated that’s an issue. I certainly wish I had seen some of it, and I could have intervened quicker and perhaps would not have grown to this proportion that it’s grown to. It’s easy to look back, that’s how it unfolded so now I have to focus on the future and how we’re going to correct the problems."

(On if he feels fortune that he still has a job) – “Again, Steve Ross is the one that does the hiring of the Miami Dolphins, that’s a question you should ask him."

(On if it will affect the Miami Dolphins brand, where players would not want to play for the Dolphins etc.) – “I believe in the players. I’ve stated I believe when we first became aware of some of these allegations that I have faith in our locker room, faith in the players that we have. I think we have an outstanding coaching staff. I know we have work to do like every other football team here that’s why we’re here. We’re here to work, we’re here to evaluate these prospects and improve our football team. I’m confident in the direction, I’m confident we’re going to make the changes necessary to improve the workplace at the Miami dolphins and improve our football team.”

Joe Philbin today became the first Dolphins official to discuss the Wells report and the scandal that spawned that report. He stepped to the microphones in Indianapolis in front of the national and some local media (not me, I'm home) and started with a statement ....

Philbin talked of creating an atmosphere where players' experience with the Dolphins was "the best professional experience they had."

"Anytime that isn't accomplished, anytime a player or staff member or anyone has an experience contrary to that, it requires my attention," he said. "It needs to be corrected, it needs to be looked at, it needs to be fixed."

Then going futher in his memorized statement he added ...

"I want everybody to know, was responsible for the workplace environment at the Miami Dolphins facility. I'm the one that sets the schedule, I decide when the practices are, I decide when players eat, how the practices are, how they lift, everything they do in the facility."

Philbin said he got the Wells report at the "same minute" the public got the report.

"I think you can imagine when I got the report, some of the facts, the behavior, the language that was outlined in the report was inappropriate," Philbin said. "It's unacceptable. And I'm the one who is charge of the work place. And I can tell you ... we're going to do things about it. We're going to make it better."

Then Philbin stopped his shouting into the microphone and took questions.

Philbin was asked if he believes it is his job to know what was going on and if not, did he fail by not knowing what was going on as the Wells report stated?

"Look, I'm the head football coach," Philbin said. "The team, the performance of the team, the 8-8 record, that falls on my shoulders. I'm going to be more vigilant. I'm going to be more diligent. I'm going to be more visible. I'm going to have a better pulse."

Philbin defended himself from the idea that he didn't delve in depth with Jonathan Martin on his suicidal thoughts after May 2013 despite the fact those thoughts lingered for Martin.

"When I was made aware of his condition, I immediately connected him with medical treatment," Philbin said. "And I had subsequent discussions. Nothing at great length. And out of respect for Jonathan, I'm not going to get into the details of those discussions. He should be the one that speaks on his health status."

Philbin kept open the door for a Jonathan Martin return. He said owner Stephen Ross will meet with Martin, something Ross said in a statement Wednesday, and decisions will be made after that.

Philbin said no decisions have been on the future of any players mentioned in the report -- Richie Incognito, Martin, John Jerry, Mike Pouncey. We all know that not to be true. Incognito is not coming back. Ross has said Martin's not coming back.

"We haven't made any decision on anybody's future," Philbin said.

Phiibin then took on more responsibility and showed more accountability.

"I have to do a better job," he said. "We're going to look at everything. The way we educate, the way we communicate, the way we talk to one another. I'm going to look at every avenue. I have to make sure we create a better atmosphere and better environment."

Philbin was asked how he could abide with the Dolphins players voting Incognito a leader on the team in 2013 when he had assualted a female golf course volunteer at a team sponsored event in 2012.

"I didn't necessarily name him a leader," Philbin said.

But he allowed it.

"There's a leadership council that we have in place. The process is the players elect the people they want to be on the leadership council. Out of respect to the process that's how the votes came in and he was on the leadership council."

So in a presser where Philbin is taking accountability for everything that goes on within his team, he's now distancing himself from this issue. Bad moment.

Does Philbin wish he handled this whole affair differently?

"I don't have the benefit to look back," Philbin said. "I would have hoped that I noticed some of these things. I can tell you I never turned my back. If I had heard this type of language or these type of acts, I would have intervened immediately.

" ... I certainly wish I would have seen some of it. I would have intervened quicker and perhaps it would not have grown to this proportion it has grown to. But it's easy to look back. That's how it happened. That's how it unfolded. I have to focus on the future and correct the problems."

Philbin was asked if he thinks he should keep his job ...

"Steve Ross is the one that does the hiring for the Miami Dolphins," Philbin said. "That's a question you should ask him."

February 19, 2014

The Dolphins flew head trainer Kevin O'Neill to Indianapolis and fired him. They told offensive line coach Jim Turner to stay home ... but now he's been fired as well.

The club just announced both men have been "relieved of their duties effective immediately."

And with the announcement comes a statement from owner Stephen Ross and another from coach Joe Philbin.

From Ross, who made the decision on both men:

"The language and behavior as described in the Ted Wells report are against the core values of our organization. After receiving the report, I conducted my own internal review of the facts to determine the appropriate steps for our organization. Jim Turner and Kevin O'Neill are good people who care a great deal about their profession and the players whom they serve, but both exhibited poor judgment at times which led me to this conclusion. As owner, I know firsthand of the high-character and dedicated professionals in our building. I believe in our team and know the hard work and sacrifices they make every day on the field and in the community. However, this is an opportunity and a teaching moment not only for the coaches, staff and players in our locker room, but also for participants throughout sports. I am in contact with Jonathan Martin and we plan to meet soon. Next week, I will provide further details of our partnership with the NYU School of Law and the NYU Center for Sports and Society regarding a broader effort to address conduct in sports. My commitment to our fans, coaches, players and staff is that we will be a stronger organization going forward."

So Ross plans to meet with Martin? Interesting.

Joe Philbin, who has been noticeably absent in discussing this matter as I wrote today, released his first statement relative to the Wells report:

"As the Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins, it is my responsibility to create an atmosphere that allows each player the opportunity to reach his full potential. As Stephen Ross said, and I agree, the language and behavior outlined in Ted Wells’ report was disappointing and unacceptable. Since I first arrived in Miami, it has been my goal to have a team which honors our proud tradition and represents our fan base the right way both on and off the field. It is not possible for a team to accomplish its goals when the fundamental values of respect are violated. That ultimately rests on my shoulders and I will be accountable moving forward for making sure that we emphasize a team-first culture of respect towards one another."

Glad that Philbin holds himself accountable moving forward. As I stated Wednesday morning Philbin needs show how accountable he is and speak with the media Thursday before new GM Dennis Hickey does. It's the right thing to do.

[Update: The Dolphins just announced Philbin will speak to the press at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday. I am announcing my next open letter to the organization will have the following theme: Win more.]

The Dolphins today fired longtime and respected head athletic trainer Kevin O'Neill. The club has given no reason for the move but it seems clear this is fallout from the Wells report.

But here's the thing:

The Dolphins flew O'Neill to Indianapolis for the NFL combine. And fired him there this afternoon.

Not.

Cool.

At this hour, O'Neill is sitting in his room in Indianapolis. Shocked. Stunned. Upset.

He declined to speak with me when I called.

I am told O'Neill, whose reputation around the NFL is otherwise impeccable, feels he was mischaracterized in the Wells report. That report states O'Neill was uncooperative with investigator Ted Wells. It states he was aware of some of the behavior that Wells concludes was harassing of both offensive tackle Jonathan Martin and assistant athletic trainer Naohisa Inoue.

Obviously, that's the Wells version. O'Neill declined to speak and thus defend himself from those conclusions. But a source close to O'Neill tells me the trainer completely rejects the notion he was aware what was happening and, in some instances according to the report, laughed at the behavior. He believes he's been wronged by this report.

By the way, none of this excuses the Dolphins for the manner in which they are handling this. Good, bad or indifferent, O'Neill is an 18-year employee of this organization. His tenure dates back to Jimmy Johnson as the head coach. This is not the way to handle a firing of such an employee.

The report has been out for days. ESPN's Chris Mortensen was the first to report this firing early this afternoon.

And the Dolphins aren't commenting and apparently had no actual plan for doing this the right way. Otherwise, why let O'Neill fly 1,200 miles away from home to get rid of him?

We know Jim Turner won't be the Dolphins offensive line coach in 2014. He'll either be suspended by the NFL or fired by the Dolphins, sources have said.

But after five days of not hearing anything on Turner's status following the release of the Wells report, today we're seeing the first glimpses of what will soon be obvious: That Turner won't be around.

Albert Breer of the NFL Network reported that Turner will not be joining the Dolphins in Indianapolis for the Combine that begins in earnest with interviews tomorrow. And Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, who will cover the Combine, tells me he was on a flight today to Indy ...

And most of the Dolphins offensive assistant were on his flight ...

Except for Turner.

So the shoe that everyone expected to drop is apparently en route to the ground.

It's been a while since I've heard from you. Actually, it's been a while since Dolphins fans have seen you or heard from you. We last talked the day after the 2013 season abruptly ended without a playoff berth. You briefly attended new general manager Dennis Hickey's introductory press conference -- but only long enough to hear his and owner Stephen Ross's opening comments. You left as soon as the question and answer period began.

And I get it. You don't like the media much. You probably wish that part of your job would disappear just like you wish the words "bullying" and "harassment" would disappear from Dolphins lexicon. I also understand you think your responsibility to the media and to speak with your fans through the media ended the moment your 10-minute NFL mandated season-ending press conference ended. That is why in the last six weeks you have not uttered a word in public even though you fired your offensive coordinator, you hired a new offensive coordinator, you were involved in a very public and very ugly disagreement with former GM Jeff Ireland and, in the past week, the Ted Wells report was released.

In handling your harassment scandal midway through the season, you did your NFL mandated daily press conferences and you answered some questions about the scandal. But rather than tell your side completely and defend your organization's honor, you often took the easy way out. You often said you could not answer pointed questions about the scandal or give a full accounting or explanation of the situation because the NFL asked you to wait until after the report was released to address the matter. And you often implied while dodging those long-ago questions that you would circle back around to them and give your fans your accounting for what blew up your and your team's reputation when the Wells report was thankfully, finally released.

That report dropped early last Friday. It has been five days and you haven't said a word about the report.

And what's more, as of this writing, you have no plans to say a word about the report. No press conference and definitely no question and answer session are planned or are on the horizon. You haven't even released a statement. Your next planned availability is at the NFL Annual meeting the last week in March. (Yeah, I'm sure you'll be eager to answer the tough questions fans and the media are asking now four weeks from now.)

Any other year and under any other circumstance, your retreat into the offseason bunker would be fine. It insulates you. It gives you a break from bothersome, meddlesome sportswriters like me. I get it.

But here's your problem, coach: This isn't any other year.

This year you helped author a disaster. No, I'm not talking about the on-field collapse the final two games of the season. I'm not talking about your desire to keep offensive coordinator and friend Mike Sherman when the entire rest of the planet understood he had to go. I'm not even talking about your failed relationship with Jeff Ireland and curious business relationship with executive vice president of football administration Dawn Aponte.

I'm talking about your harassment scandal and all the issues that scandal has given birth to.

The scandal has presented you with problems about what to do with an offensive line coach who apparently lied to you. It has created a delicate situation with some players who may never again play for you and some that almost definitely will remain on your roster and in your locker room.

And that scandal, coach Philbin, has brought you a public relations nightmare the likes of which began last October but is not nearly close to being over.

One of the reasons that nightmare isn't close to ending is because you, in your infinite lack of P.R. wisdom, might soon make it worse. You see, here it is Wednesday and as I already mentioned, you currently have no plans to discuss the Wells report in the near future. Your problem is that Thursday at 2:15 p.m. Hickey will step to the podium at the Indianapolis Combine and address not only the South Florida media, but the national media.

And what do you think they're going to ask him about?

Yes, the Wells report.

So unless something changes today or early Thursday, that will make Hickey the first Dolphins employee who will be asked about the harassment scandal because, well, he's agreed to step in front of the microphones and cameras and note pads and reporters.

But there's a significant problem with that, coach Philbin: Dennis Hickey had nothing to do with the harassment scandal. He was hired three weeks ago.

So someone who had zero to do with turning the gas on this fire is going to be the first to be roasted in front of the media? And the national media, no less? Someone who has less idea than you what happened in that Dolphins locker room between players is the guy this organization -- you -- are pushing forward to answer for it?

And meanwhile, you, coach Philbin, stay out of sight and out of reach? In the bunker?

Is that really the way you want to play this? Is that illustrative of your sense of fair play and what is right?

I hope not. I hope that before 2:15 on Thursday, you decide to do the right thing, the decent thing, and make yourself available to answer the questions you so artfully dodged in October and November.

Here we are three months later so I hope you have a well rehearsed explanation for how you didn't see players re-enacting sex acts during practices that you ran. I hope you have a good explanation for why Jim Turner, the offensive line coach you hired, isn't yet the former offensive line coach you fired. I hope you have a good explanation for why you never had an in-depth conversation with Jonathan Martin about his pondering suicide anytime after May 2013 when you assistant coach reported to you that's what he was dealing with. I hope you can explain why red flags didn't go up for you the day before Martin finally went AWOL when he blew off morning weight lifting and then showed up late and drunk to the practice facility. I hope you have an explanation for how it is you let Richie Incognito become a team leader in 2013 when you knew he had assaulted a female volunteer at a club golf function in 2012.

Those are questions I'm hoping you can answer directly, sincerely. Those are questions fans deserve the answer to.

Much has been made by your boss, club owner Stephen Ross, about the budding great relationship you and Hickey already share. Indeed, Hickey has fully bought into you as well -- telling anyone who'll listen how much he respects your abilities and your professionalism.

But I wonder if that's going to be the same way he thinks after Thursday if he's pushed forward as the proverbial sacrificial lamb to answer questions he has no business being asked while you, the man who headed the Dolphins throughout the scandal, opts to stay in the shadows.

Don't let him take that bullet for you, coach. Don't ruin a good thing so quickly. Don't take the easy way out. Don't fail the accountability test.

Do the right thing for the sake of your new GM and the sake of the organization you represent. Avoid another black eye. Do the right thing.